986 or 987 - what to buy? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

My 964 C2 Tip is currently being brokered. I've owned it for 3 years and enjoyed driving it, but increased values and the fact that I'm driving my Z4 2.2 roadster a lot more than the 964 means it's time for a change. I've got an E61 as a daily driver, so the other two cars get driven for fun, or when it isn't raining. I figured that a Boxster could pretty much replace both the 964 and Z4, for a lot less money. Question is, what Boxster to get? £10 to 12K will get me a really nice 986 3.2S facelift from a respected specialist. An early 987S will be quite a bit more from the same source, or I could take my chances buying privately or from a non-specialist. Whatever car I get, I'd prefer a Tip. I had a test in a 986 3.2 Tip, and loved it. Although the 987 is a little nicer to sit in, I'm not sure it's worth spending several £k more. There's also the depreciation of a newer car to consider. I think that a good 986 will lose less than an average 987. So, what to do: "Perfect" 986S and put a few £K away for maintenance? "Average" 987S and keep my fingers crossed? Blow my budget, and get a "perfect" 987S? BTW, I'm 57 and semi-retired, so my income is a bit on the low side. I can't really justify keeping 3 cars!

If you've got a comfortable daily or other car then for me a nice 986S with the M030 sports suspension works well as a weekend/occassional/hoon/tour car. Like you, I can afford to spend more but choose to stick with the £7-9k range of 986, which I have done for a second time after my first Boxster which was a 2000 S. I prefer to buy a middling price one and do a few mods and maintenance myself as I work on the basis that no matter how much you spend on the initial purchase there is always going to be something to spend on a 10+ year old car. The later and lower mileage 986 are only going to need the same maintenance as the earlier 986 and I prefer to do preventative maintenance rather than fix it when it breaks.

I went for a really good 986 rather than an average 987. I also prefer the older model generally. If you can find one thats had the IMS/Clutch done, lowish miles with a good spec and on its 2nd or 3rd careful owner that is the holy grail of these cars. I absolutely love my 550 Anniversary which fulfilled all of the above criteria and I paid less than 311k for it last year

I don't think anybody is going to disagree with the logic that a lesser used and lower mileage car will likely have a better condition interior than a higher miler which has been sat in and used more extensively. However, if you are patient and with a bit of luck you can find them! I've had a few comments that my 105k at purchase interior is better than other 550s at 40k miles. The one bit that does let it down is the seat belt buckle scuff on the centre console but when I want to that's only £100 for a remove and repaint as I did on my previous car. Also the OP has a 964, not exactly the newest and most virgin or interiors either (depending on use of course). It's all just a matter of preference. Some people will look at you with incredulity when you say you prefer the 986/996 interior to the 987/997 one which I do!

Interior condition bothers me a lot, probably more than exterior condition (parking scrapes, rather than serious damage). I'm guessing it's probably cheaper to get the corners resprayed than it is to replace a shedload of scuffed interior trim? Most of the 986s that I've seen at local dealers have been pretty rough on the inside, but they were priced at the lower end of the market. I looked at two last week. Both were late pre-facelift cars. The cheaper one was a bit dog-eared inside, but the one for £9k was like new. For an extra grand, I'd take the one with the better interior. If I get a 986, it'll have to be a facelift car. Glass rear window is a must for me, and I'm not keen on the ambers either. I'm a fairly recent convert to autos. The 964 was my first (except for a Mk3 Granada back in the day), and I have to say I rather like them. It may be my age, but it's one less thing to be thinking about on the back lanes. I can keep both hands on the wheel, and pay full attention to any potential hazards on the narrow lanes around here. Gives me the confidence to press on a bit harder. The one downside of the autos that I currently drive is overtaking. I'm always wondering how quickly they will respond, and how many gears they will downshift. The Tip in the 986 seemed a lot more predictable in full auto, and the steering wheel buttons were easier to use than moving the lever across the gate then flipping it forwards or backwards. It's made even worse in my current cars because Porsche and BMW do it differently - forwards for down in one, backwards in the other. Or, is it move the lever to the left to engage manual in one. right in the other? I have to look at the lever to remember, because the cars all do it a different way! Should be a lot easier to remember with buttons on the wheel! I did prefer the interior of the 987, but the improvement over a really good, late, 986 wasn't as great as I'd expected. Full leather in the early car helped a lot. As for the exterior, in many ways I prefer the cleaner lines of the 986 - except for the headlights. The dealer had just aquired a very early 986 - a dealer launch model in orange. It's had one owner, and only covered 1400 (yes, fourteen hundred) miles. Looks like the owner only drove it once a year, to get it serviced. Absolutely perfect in every way.

Actually the 986 interior is perfectly acceptable compared to the 987 when in perfect nick. In fact I'd say less chintzy looking than a 987. It's just most don't look beneath the knackered 986 stereotype or miss guided peer pressure banded around ... tut tut.. I'm going to spend some good money on my interior .... Darn, or maybe just get a C2... Now I'm confused.. Darn again.. Also got to say, I got out of a 36k Carrera S the other day at mid sussex Porsche and got straight back into mine and ... wow... does my car feel that more solid... seriously?!.... Really made me think! It might have been the light clutch and brakes in the CS but... hmm. Or the colour. Edited by buttercreamt on Thursday 2nd April 23:49 Edited by buttercreamt on Thursday 2nd April 23:51 Edited by buttercreamt on Thursday 2nd April 23:52 Edited by buttercreamt on Thursday 2nd April 23:54 Edited by buttercreamt on Friday 3rd April 00:01

A good point about the 987 interior being maybe a bit flashy. I've got a feeling that the 986 (with full leather) will look "classic" in 10 years, while the 987 will look old hat, style over function. Style won't carry it's age as well as funtion will. My 964's interior is in very good condition, but it is incredibly old-fashioned compared to many cars of similar age. That's all part of it's charm though. I used to own a 2004 Mini Cooper S convertible. The interior intially looked good, but it was hard to live with. The flashy bits were fake, painted plastic pretending to be aluminium. It was all bit too styled, and it creaked and rattled. Drove me nuts. The Z4 that replaced it is incredibly plain and simple in comparison, but it is well screwed together. On balance, I prefer an interior that is functional and well built, with buttons and knobs that fall readily to hand. I think a full leather 986, with a few bits painted body colour, will suit me fine.

Indeed. The ali in these Porsche's I think looks like plastic anyway but have grown used to it I would say that the only colour that doesn't work in a 986 though is black. If it's on the tatty side... yuk. Grey works (but not in a 987/997). Any other shade actually, tan even. Mine works really well to my eye but in a 987/997! Steering wheel has to be black regardless. I'm going for a decent Nappa in a slightly darker orange/red than the one in the pic - beautiful, way better than a 987. Those in the know will know the secrety secret about 986's (winkity winky wink wink...) Eh eh! A true classic in the making. I'm specking up my new GT5 from the proceeds of selling my 986 to some hungry puppy as we speak. Just for reference, I am in no way bigging my interests up in any way with regard manipulating potential parties that might benefit me from profiting from such blatant self promotion with regard my motor. (it is going for a song though so get in touch so you don't miss out)

Well, I was all set to look out for a facelift 986S Tip, but I had a test drive in a 987 S manual, 55 plate, yesterday. Although I struggled a bit with the gearbox (wobbly left leg, and not quite sure if the short throw lever was actually in first gear) having not really driven a manual for 3 years, I soon got the hang of it. I'm not sure if it was just the colour (speed yellow), but I really liked the car, and was sorely tempted to put down a deposit, despite the 964 not having sold yet. The seats seemed to suit me better than the 986 (which were a little narrow in the backrest), and the interior was definitely a bit more modern. The car was up for sale at a local dealer for £16k, with 35k miles on the clock. Xenons, Bose, heated seats, yellow centre console, yellow stitching. Comes freshly serviced, with nearly new tyres and full MOT. Fair price?

Nice. Nothing like a bit of colour to ramp it a bit. 16k! I guess I would be tempted with "nice" leather (yellow stitching ) Yellow consol.. Wheels? Tricky on yellow... PCM..............? Toys etc etc. Edit: To my eye lobster is the best look on a yellow 987. What's the book say. Edited by buttercreamt on Monday 6th April 00:41

Yes, it had lobsters. No PCM, no CD changer. Cleanest 10 year old car I've seen.

Hi clockworks I am just going through the same decision process and was about to post a similar thread. I hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post. I am also looking for either a 986 or 987 and have the budget for a "perfect" 986. I have been offered a late model 986 that has had a Hartech rebuild around 11k miles ago (due to IMS failure) and a very comprehensive service history. The seller is asking 12k for it. It has all the options I'd want on it and hence is perfect spec wise. I'd be interested to know if people would swing for this or spend a few k extra and get a "perfect" 987? My budget is anywhere up to 15-20k. I've read a few posts on people going from a 986 to 987 and prefering the 987. I wonder if anyone has gone back to the 986?

clockworks said: Interior condition bothers me a lot, probably more than exterior condition (parking scrapes, rather than serious damage). I'm guessing it's probably cheaper to get the corners resprayed than it is to replace a shedload of scuffed interior trim? Most of the 986s that I've seen at local dealers have been pretty rough on the inside, but they were priced at the lower end of the market. I looked at two last week. Both were late pre-facelift cars. The cheaper one was a bit dog-eared inside, but the one for £9k was like new. For an extra grand, I'd take the one with the better interior. If I get a 986, it'll have to be a facelift car. Glass rear window is a must for me, and I'm not keen on the ambers either. I'm a fairly recent convert to autos. The 964 was my first (except for a Mk3 Granada back in the day), and I have to say I rather like them. It may be my age, but it's one less thing to be thinking about on the back lanes. I can keep both hands on the wheel, and pay full attention to any potential hazards on the narrow lanes around here. Gives me the confidence to press on a bit harder. The one downside of the autos that I currently drive is overtaking. I'm always wondering how quickly they will respond, and how many gears they will downshift. The Tip in the 986 seemed a lot more predictable in full auto, and the steering wheel buttons were easier to use than moving the lever across the gate then flipping it forwards or backwards. It's made even worse in my current cars because Porsche and BMW do it differently - forwards for down in one, backwards in the other. Or, is it move the lever to the left to engage manual in one. right in the other? I have to look at the lever to remember, because the cars all do it a different way! Should be a lot easier to remember with buttons on the wheel! I did prefer the interior of the 987, but the improvement over a really good, late, 986 wasn't as great as I'd expected. Full leather in the early car helped a lot. As for the exterior, in many ways I prefer the cleaner lines of the 986 - except for the headlights. The dealer had just aquired a very early 986 - a dealer launch model in orange. It's had one owner, and only covered 1400 (yes, fourteen hundred) miles. Looks like the owner only drove it once a year, to get it serviced. Absolutely perfect in every way. pm me details of the orange car pls if its still for sale

£12k is pretty steep for any 986 at the moment especially if you are going to use it. That feels like a £3-5k premium for the recent work.

nshooter35 said: Hi clockworks I am just going through the same decision process and was about to post a similar thread. I hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post. I am also looking for either a 986 or 987 and have the budget for a "perfect" 986. I have been offered a late model 986 that has had a Hartech rebuild around 11k miles ago (due to IMS failure) and a very comprehensive service history. The seller is asking 12k for it. It has all the options I'd want on it and hence is perfect spec wise. I'd be interested to know if people would swing for this or spend a few k extra and get a "perfect" 987? My budget is anywhere up to 15-20k. I've read a few posts on people going from a 986 to 987 and prefering the 987. I wonder if anyone has gone back to the 986? No problem joining in with this thread. I never realised that buying a Boxster could be so difficult! So many variations and potential "problems" to consider, and asking prices seem to be all over the place! Looking at other 987s advertised, it seems that the yellow S that I looked at on Saturday was priced a little on the high side, but it was in very nice condition. There's also the "Cornwall Car Premium" to consider. Just about everything down here is priced at the top end, because there isn't that much choice, and it's a right pain to view cars up country. Bristol and back is a day out, especially at this time of year. He seemed confident that the car will sell at his price, and he's probably right. Also, I'm not sure about blasting around in a bright yellow car. Very easily spotted if you annoy someone with a bit of spirited overtaking! I think, on reflection, that I'll go for an early 987 3.2S manual, and buy on condition/history rather than mileage/options/colour. There are plenty out there between £10 and £15K, so I'll leave it to the broker to find me a good one. Got to sell the 964 first. I think it's up for £40K.

anonymous said: [redacted] yes laughable mark up for a car that was available for £8.5k a month ago. She was for sale for a while too. Lovely car mind.

If your 964 sells for for 40K why not look at a nice low miles 981 Boxster? Had one for a day while my 987 was in at the OPC and by the end of the day it had really grown on me and after jumping back in mine easy too see where Porsche have moved the game on with the 981 Boxster...

evojam said: If your 964 sells for for 40K why not look at a nice low miles 981 Boxster? Had one for a day while my 987 was in at the OPC and by the end of the day it had really grown on me and after jumping back in mine easy too see where Porsche have moved the game on with the 981 Boxster... I can't justify spending that kind of money on a depreciating car. That's more than 2 years gross income for me now that I'm semi-retired. The idea is to put my original "investment" back in the bank, and spend the profit, plus whatever I get for my Z4, on a car. That means £15k max realistically.

clockworks said: evojam said: If your 964 sells for for 40K why not look at a nice low miles 981 Boxster? Had one for a day while my 987 was in at the OPC and by the end of the day it had really grown on me and after jumping back in mine easy too see where Porsche have moved the game on with the 981 Boxster... I can't justify spending that kind of money on a depreciating car. That's more than 2 years gross income for me now that I'm semi-retired. The idea is to put my original "investment" back in the bank, and spend the profit, plus whatever I get for my Z4, on a car. That means £15k max realistically. the right way to go then. Buying something towards the bottom of its depreciation curve that has been well looked after. Ideally a 2004 986 Anniversary S would be the safest bet. Spotless lowish miles with good provenance and not many owners are around 10-12k. Get into one of these and then get the IMS solution/clutch done at a reputable Porsche specialist (Revolution would be my choice) if it hasn't already been done. You shouldn't lose too much whilst having a modern feeling and superb driving Boxster.

clockworks said: evojam said: If your 964 sells for for 40K why not look at a nice low miles 981 Boxster? Had one for a day while my 987 was in at the OPC and by the end of the day it had really grown on me and after jumping back in mine easy too see where Porsche have moved the game on with the 981 Boxster... I can't justify spending that kind of money on a depreciating car. That's more than 2 years gross income for me now that I'm semi-retired. The idea is to put my original "investment" back in the bank, and spend the profit, plus whatever I get for my Z4, on a car. That means £15k max realistically. Understandable ofcourse and 15k should get you into a really nice Boxster be it a 986 or 987,I looked at both but went for a 987 in the end as I prefered the slightly beefer looks and more modern interior of the 987.I wish they'd kept the spare wheel though!

Anniversary 986 would be a good choice, but it would have to have the black interior. Now that I know that I can still drive a manual, I have a lot more cars to choose from. Is there actually much difference between a late 986S and an early 987S as far as driving dynamics go?

anonymous said: [redacted] Hmm, sounds like the 987 may be more suited to my age and limited abilities, or will I just be going faster when I run out of talent? Let's put it this way, will a 986 flatter my driving more than my 964 does, and will a 987 be a similar step up again from a 986? I really struggle with comparing cars on a test drive. It takes me a few days to get used to a new car, to get comfortable with pushing it. Any half-decent car feels good to me at normal pace, it's only when I start pushing hard that I find things I don't like. The only cars that I've instantly hated have all been French. The Z4 felt like a great car for a while. So did the Cooper S. The only car that's continued to impress me for a long time is my E61. Traction control is a bit too eager sometimes, but apart from that it's spot on for a big old barge.

Would people pay 12k for a well sorted 986 (with rebuilt engine)? Can't decide if this is too close to spending a bit more and getting a decent 987?

Yes I think you are right. Out of curiosity would you? Part of me is justifying paying the premium purely as the history is impeccable.

Thanks for the input. It's looking like a 987 is what I should be going for. A 996 certainly has plenty going for it. Currently not that much more to buy, similar running costs, and a lot more potential to increase in value if I keep it long enough. Only problem is, I want a convertible, and I think 996 convertibles are very awkward looking cars.

There's plenty of 987's out there so you'll have the pick of the bunch,on the right road on the right day you cannot beat open top motoring!

Id go for a 987.2 Manual S myself. Much better engine, much better car - everything a bit fresher. its the pick of the range for me. Hydraulic steering, DFI engine, manual gearbox. Ive tried the new 981 and it does nothing for me, a 987.2 S manual for 20 grand is the best purchase. Stretch to it, you wont regret it. a 986 or a 987 with an engine failure is quickly gonna cost you 20 grand all in anyway, why bother?

I to have been hankering for ages about what ragtop to get that's different. I'm not going back to a TVR, BMW zzzzzz's don't excite me and a MX5, NO. Doesn't leave a lot to choose from apart from a porker. So I'm looking for as much as I can get for under 7k. Prefer an S, don't like red interiors at all. Just a well looked after one. Inside must be in good nick as I know a guy who can do some paint work for me and a low cost. Oh and in the west country too!!!

£40K for a Tip 964? Clucking-Bell! Good news that is!

That scottish one looks a belter...if you can live with a red interior The 986 has less interior room than the 987 - I'm only 5'10" and have the seat pretty much all the way down & back. The sports seats are quite narrow as well (and certainly not much good as "sports" seats as they really don't support you very well. The standard seats might be more comfortable for some people. I've never driven a 987, and to me they don't look as good as a 986 (ambers are a must!). The 986 is a very capable car and will flatter a driver. It certainly isn't a twitchy/snappy mid engined monster - I've been pleasantly surprised how benign it is. M030 suspension is pretty firm and I wouldn't bother for road use unless you have some very smooth roads around you, or you plan to do some track days.

Might want to consider a facelift 986 S (post 2002?) as it has the glass rear-screen. Heated seats are a must whichever you choose!

anonymous said: [redacted] Yeah of course not an absolute deal-breaker but really nice to have on most days of the year in the UK!

Ali2202 said: £40K for a Tip 964? Clucking-Bell! Good news that is! More like very optimistic IMO!

For cars with the m030 suspension -what are the options when it comes to refreshing the suspension - are parts still available for the m030 suspension - I'd want to keep the car as original as possible and hence would want to replace the parts with original Porsche OEM items but fear they would be difficult to obtain.

anonymous said: [redacted] My Boxster has brand new m030 - I was amazed how competent it was on the track, coupled with decent tyres (225/45/17 AD08 all round). It was great at Spa, Cadwell, Donington and Oulton - plenty of variety there to show up any shortcomings. Maybe not quite as good as the KWv3 on my 944, which has stiffer springs than stock to make it more track focused, but I'd be quite happy with the Boxster as a track car if I didn't have the 944. Put together with a Sparco seat, it was certainly a bit harsh for bumpy roads though. I haven't driven a Boxster with fresh standard suspension - but would be really surprised if the dampers weren't up to scratch.

Cotswold Porsche also recently were able to supply an M030 kit. Having had an early S with new M030 and new arms/bushes all round and now a 112k 550 on M030 but with new bushes/arms both with similar geo I can say with confidence that the M030 degrades quite noticeably over time and miles. It's still a lot more controlled than a relatively low mile standard S. For fast smooth European roads you could probably go a bit firmer still but for use in Europe and also for A and B roads in the UK it strikes a very good balance for me. I keep thinking I will buy a more expensive coilover kit for mine but feel it would be a mistake for my use.

I've just spent an hour searching Autotrader for late 986 / early 987 S prices. Quite interesting, should've done that earlier. I was expecting to see a big jump in dealer prices between 986 and 987, but there isn't. It pretty much just goes on age, mileage and spec. £10 to 12K for a facelift 986S, and £12 to 14K for a 987 3.2, with a private sale 3.4S Tip at £14k too. For the extra £2K, I'll go for a 987. Looks like the £16K 987 3.2 that I looked at is over priced. I guess that's the way it is down here, would be up to £2k cheaper up country.

Yes, I will need to travel, or pay someone else to do it for me. It's been the same here for as long as I can remember. Most of the people that I know who have bought anything other than a normal family car have had to travel a few hundred miles to get a good car at a fair price. Cornwall has a very strange economy. Plenty of locals who scrape a living, but quite a few incomers with money to spend. House prices are up there with the Home Counties, but wages are pretty much the lowest in the country. Not much absolute poverty though, so it's a good place to live. I've been here 17 years now, no way I'd move back.

I'm in east Cornwall and will be driving up to Southampton to look at a car............fun drive...NOT.

anonymous said: [redacted] I almost agree Certainly if I was going to build a full-on Boxster track car then I'd be a bit more ambitious in spring rates..There are only a few cars that are capable of road and track without significant mods, but the Boxster works pretty well. (OK Sump baffles and AOS would probably be on the list if I was going to use it much more in trackdays) I think the harshness of m030 is most apparent at low speeds on rough suburban roads. (how do the kits for 2.5 and 3.2 compare in spring rates?). Btw I paid less than £600 at Porsche Leicester for my m030 kit. The thing that really makes the Boxster feel like a sports car is fitting some bucket seats - you're much more in touch with the car that way. The standard seats insulate you from so much.

anonymous said: [redacted] Dunno - I suspect it's different though. The 2.5 is a fair bit lighter isn't it? Even with buckets, the S felt very well controlled on m030 (seats now back in the 944 )

My 964 has now been "reserved", broker is confident that the car will be sold next week. I'd pretty much decided that I want a manual 987, so I went to see the broker yesterday, had an extended test drive in a 2.7 (58 plate, up for £16.5K, as he didn't have a 3.2 available). A good mix of A roads, traffic, and narrow twisty back lanes. With my passenger calling out the severity of the bends and points where I needed to slow down, I was making much better "progress" than I normally would in any of my own cars, and the 2.7 was very impressive. I had confidence that the car would do what I wanted. Even after 3 years of ownership, I never felt this confident in the 964 (that's probably down to me!), and the Z4 would probably have spat me off the road into a hedge. So, 987S it is. He's looking for the right car for me, and is hoping to have the whole deal finalised in a week or so. If he finds the right Boxster before the money comes through for the 964, he'll do the Z4/Boxster swap and deduct the cash when the funds are cleared. Budget is set at £16K. I know that I could get one privately for less, but I'd have to do a lot of travelling, and chances are it'll need some money spending to bring it up to scratch. He expects to spend £1500 to £2000 on any car that he buys in, so whatever he gets for me will be fully sorted. Now I need to research options for upgrading the audio, specifically adding a USB port. I've got a Dension Gateway in the E61, but I don't think this is an option unless the car has PCM?

I wouldn't dismiss the 2.7 out of hand as it's such a sweet revvy thing,I did 3000 miles in my 987 2.7 across Europe last year and will be doing the same this year and found it's mix of power/fuel economy just right for me.I've had alot quicker stuff but it's so much fun to wind it out on the Autobahns too over 150mph and ring it's neck in the Alps..very addictive.

I had quite a long chat with the guy about the relative merits of the 2.7 and 3.2. Apart from the initial cost - an extra £1500, all other things being equal - he couldn't see a downside to getting a 3.2. For longer journeys, like a trip to Europe, he'd take a 2.7. For a "fun" drive, he'd take a 3.2. Since I rarely drive more than 150 miles in a day, the 3.2 seems like the best option for me.

Some of us weirdos actually prefer the 2.7 because overall we find the drive more involving. Certainly on twisties. It's also easier to exploit what the 2.7 has more fully on the road. Little wheels make it better too What the 3.4 does is allow you to be lazy, as you can leave it in a higher gear and rely on the torque to compensate.

juansolo said: Some of us weirdos actually prefer the 2.7 because overall we find the drive more involving. Certainly on twisties. It's also easier to exploit what the 2.7 has more fully on the road. Little wheels make it better too What the 3.4 does is allow you to be lazy, as you can leave it in a higher gear and rely on the torque to compensate. I wouldn't call us weirdos and I agree on the UK's choked up roads it's more fun too ring the 2.7's neck and feel like you've really 'driven' the car rather than having to hold back with excess power,and besides a fully rung out 2.7 with only 240bhp or so is never going to be slow.Mine has the 18" S wheels fitted but I'd love to try it with the smaller 17's!

He warned me to stay away from the optional 19s. They look good, but spoil the car. We talked about the different ride/handling characteristics of the 2.7 and S, and he felt that it was just as much down to the individual setup as the actual model, with geometry and the state of the various bushes playing a big part. He recommends having the alignment done annually for a daily driver. At a minimum, when new tyres are fitted. Getting it done to factory settings may not be right. How the old tyres have worn needs to be interpreted, and the geo tweaked appropriately. My regular tyre guy has said the same thing about MX5s and BMWs.

anonymous said: [redacted] I have just put my summers on and initially I found that the car was almost too pointy in the steering - certainly fidgety on less than perfect road surfaces. My local specialist was doing some work on the car and suggested that the car would handle better with 2psi down on the front (28psi). Tried it and so far I am impressed. Less fidgety and smoother with only a small drop in turn-in speed. Overall a nice combo for going cross country. Cheers, Graham

clockworks said: He warned me to stay away from the optional 19s. They look good, but spoil the car. We talked about the different ride/handling characteristics of the 2.7 and S, and he felt that it was just as much down to the individual setup as the actual model, with geometry and the state of the various bushes playing a big part. He recommends having the alignment done annually for a daily driver. At a minimum, when new tyres are fitted. Getting it done to factory settings may not be right. How the old tyres have worn needs to be interpreted, and the geo tweaked appropriately. My regular tyre guy has said the same thing about MX5s and BMWs. I'd warn you to take it with a pinch of salt about 19's, I went from 17's to 19's and didn't notice much difference I think some people are well over the top in their fear of 19's ruining the ride quality

You must have good roads where you live...

964 is now sold, 987S on it's way. Low mileage 2007, with nearly all the extras - including 19" wheels. A bit over my original budget, but I think I would regret buying a low-spec car.

clockworks said: 964 is now sold, 987S on it's way. Low mileage 2007, with nearly all the extras - including 19" wheels. A bit over my original budget, but I think I would regret buying a low-spec car. can i ask how much the 964 went for ?

Not sure what the final sale price was, as it was being sold on a brokerage deal. I think it was up for £40k